Poll: Brown, Hogan Lead Governor's Race, But Plenty Of Undecided

Poll: Brown, Hogan Lead Governor's Race, But Plenty Of Undecided

In the Baltimore Sun poll, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown is the top choice among Democratic voters. (WBAL file photo)

In the Baltimore Sun poll, Larry Hogan is the top choice among Republican voters. (Change Maryland photo)

A little more than four months before the primary election, a new poll finds that Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and former Ehrlich Administration official Larry Hogan lead their party's races for governor, but there is a sizeable number of undecided voters.

The Baltimore Sun poll of likely primary voters found Brown leading with 35-percent of the vote. Attorney General Doug Gansler received 14-percent of the vote. Montgomery County Delegate Heather Mizeur received 10-percent. However, the poll found that 40-percent of the Democrats are undecided.

Among Republicans, Hogan, who heads Change Maryland received 13-percent of the vote. Harford County Executive David Craig received 7-percent. Anne Arundel County Delegate Ron George received 6-percent. Businessman Charles Lollar received 5-percent. The poll found that 68-percent of Republicans are undecided.

Brown has been criticized by his rivals, other Democrats and Republicans for his role in creating the state's glitch plagued health benefit exchange. The poll found that 63-percent of voters believe that would have no effect on whether they would vote for Brown. 25-percent said they would be less likely to vote for him.

Last fall, the Baltimore Sun published pictures of Gansler at a party in Delaware where underage drinking was taking place. The picture showed Gansler looking at his phone. Gansler said he was at the party to talk to his teenage son. The poll found that 42-percent of voters said the incident would have no effect on whether they would vote for Gansler, while 47-percent said they would be less likely to vote for him.

The Baltimore Sun poll of nearly 1,200 likely voters was conducted by OpinionWorks of Annapolis. The questioning took place in a five day period that ended Wednesday. The sample group included 500 likely Democratic primary voters and 499 likely Republican primary voters.

In the Democratic race for attorney general, the poll found that 69-percent of voters were undecided. Baltimore County Delegate Jon Cardin led the four candidates with 18-percent. Montgomery County Senator Brian Frosh, who chairs the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, received 6-percent. Prince George's County Delegate Aisha Braveboy received 4-percent. Montgomery County Delegate Bill Frick received 3-percent.

Frosh led all candidates in fundraising, in reports released last month.

The filing deadline for candidates is a week from Tuesday. The primary election is on June 24.